Adventurous cooks will enjoy ‘Simply Armenian’

By SILAS SPAETH
For The Salinas Californian

“Simply Armenian: Naturally Healthy Ethnic Cooking Made Easy” (Mayreni
Publishing. $17.95) by Barbara Ghazarian.

* Local connection: Pacific Grove resident Barbara Ghazarian is
passionate about Armenian cuisine. In her cookbook, she shares “the
wisdom of generations of grandmothers” along with all the practical
information needed to produce some truly outstanding Armenian food. *
Content: The 150 recipes featured in the cookbook range from
appetizers, soups and salads to main courses and delicious desserts.

Get out your food processor and try one of the nine delicious spreads
listed in the opening pages of the book. Using ingredients such as
chickpeas, eggplant, walnuts, yogurt and kalamata olives, you can whip
up some muhammarah (spicy hot walnut spread) or a carrot-potato dip
with marinated artichoke hearts.

The extensive salad section offers recipes for bulgur salad with
chickpeas and greens, Armenian potato salad, a cucumber-tomato, feta
salad and beet and walnut salad.

Because lamb is a “preferred meat” in Middle Eastern cuisine, it will
come as no surprise to discover 18 ways to prepare the meat including
lamb stuffed grape leaves (sarma), eggplant and ground lamb, baked
stuffed meat pie (sini kufteh), and lamb with quince slices.

Those not counting calories will find instructions for making such
mouth watering sweets as almond cookies, apricot squares, paklava and
fresh candied-pumpkin slices dipped in chocolate.

If you have developed a taste for the quince, an exotic, yellowish
fruit primarily grown in the United States here in California, you’ll
be happy to discover recipes for quince preserves, coffee cake,
cookies and jelly.

* Author quote: “I have taken the intimidation factor out of Armenian
fare, but not the taste, smells and exotic look of the food. Nor have
I made it fancy. For centuries, Armenians have been eating like
sultans on what others considered scraps and pantry basics. Now you
can, too.”
* Audience: If you enjoy sampling ethnic cuisine and are a venturesome
cook, this is a cookbook you’ll want to own. If you prefer lamb to
beef, enjoy lots of vegetables (especially eggplant) and would rather
munch on stuffed grape leaves than a Ritz cracker with cream cheese
smeared on it, this is a book you want to seriously consider
purchasing. If green onion and pine nut pizza sounds odd yet
appetizing — you’ve come to the right cookbook!

SILAS SPAETH of Monterey writes about Central Coast Authors on an
occasional basis for the Arts & Books page of The
Californian. Comments for Spaeth may be sent to The Salinas
Californian, c/o Central Coast Authors, P.O. Box 81091, Salinas 93912;
or e-mailed to newsroom@salinas.gannet.com.

Originally published Saturday, September 25, 2004